Note - Just like my other stories I have no idea where this one is going. So far I'm going to follow the ghost whisperer plot, but other than that I haven't thought this through. So enjoy, get confused at my lack of planning a story and review :)

Chapter 1- Part 1

I've never really understood the living. Death and what goes on after are my specialty. Helping the dead comes to terms with how they died or simply passing on a message to someone. I never really thought that no living person could understand how I felt. I was the outsider. I was the one that was different. My names Ryoma Echizen, I'm 13 years old and from the time I was 4 I knew I could speak to the dead.

Thursday 16/3/2006

I was born in America, but at the age of six for unknown reasons we moved. I lived in Japan after that. In a little village. I loved my life there. It was peaceful. Everyone knew each other, but all that had changed when my father got offered a job back in the place I originally came from. At first he seemed uneasy about it, but soon warmed up to the idea. I never understood why we left in the first place. We never saw eye to eye. Both of us always had different opinions. So here I am, at a boarding school.

I was fortunate enough that there was a small town know as Grandview, about half-an-hour walk down the road. A lady called Ayana helped me out after my father had abandoned me on the sidewalk telling me to find my own way to the school. She even told me that if I ever wanted to have a bit of money to spend I can always help her out at her antique shop.

As I walked the path through the school, the spring breeze catching the end of my nose and ears turning them red. The trees were slowly gaining back their green along with the grass, but this also reminded me that I had already missed a week of the new school term. What made me realize that walking though a boarding school during the lunch hour with suitcases wasn't the best idea. I had all these students staring and pointing in my general direction. Some even laughed.

Going through the entrance of the building I went straight to the reception desk. There was an old woman smiling at me. The white curly hair and grey/blue eyes that look kindly to all. There were two women behind her chatting away. Something about politics from what I could make out.

"I'm the new transfer student, Ryoma Echizen." As I waited for the lady to do something, I felt myself freeze when one of the two girls chatting answered.

"I'll get your papers in a minute, take a seat." With caution I look back at the woman who I thought was alive. In return she just gave me a look of comfort.

"So you can see me." She stated. I didn't reply out loud knowing I would get a strange look for the others around. Instead, I nodded. "Can you do me a small favour?" Her voice was kind, she seems like a good person. Nodding once more I waited for her to ask. "The one that just talked to you is my daughter. Can you tell her the photo album is on top of the cabinet. She'll know where I'm talking about." I was snapped out of the conversation when the daughter sat in the chair the ghost was once occupying.

"So you need to go see the principal. He said something about your grades and wanting to discuss something with you, here's a map of the buildings." I felt speechless as she handed the papers as I got no word in as she stood once again about to go back to her conversation with the other woman.

"Wait!" I shouted. Turning she looked at me, waiting for me to carry on. "Umm..." I hated this part. Where you need to say something important, but no matter how you put it, it'll turn out weird. "The photo album is on top of a cabinet. I'm sorry for your lost." I blurted, bowed and ran all at the same time, while pulling my suitcases with me. I don't know if saying it like that was a good idea or not, but she didn't stop me, so I must have gotten away with it to some extent.

When I turned the corner, I looked down to the now, scrunched up map trying to decode it. I was never good at trying to find things by using a map. As I was about to give up and wonder the school knowing I would eventually find it. That was when the old lady that was at the reception desk not so long ago appeared before me.

"Would you like me to show you to your destination?" I gave her a smile before a small 'thank you' made its way passed my lips. I grabbed my luggage and dragged it along.

"How do you know this place so well?" I asked as I let my eyes drift to the landscape of the building, peering out of windows we passed so I could get a look at the grounds as well. The few odd students in the corridors just gave me a glance before going back to what they were doing. People in the end would just think that I was talking to myself.

"My husband is the one in charge of the school. The university behind this building is also something that he owns, but a different man is running it. My love seems to prefer working with teens then young adults." I could hear the fondness in her voice as she talked about him. I was cut from my thought when I was caught by surprise when I heard a bell ringing indicating that the hallways were going to be crowded in a few seconds by students who were rushing to get to lessons on time.

"If you don't mind could we hurry? I don't really feel like being trampled." Hearing a small laughed from her she pointed to the door.

"We've been standing here for a good 10 seconds now. You could have entered if you were paying enough attention." She half-scolded me for my lack of noticing my surrounding. Knocking twice on the door I entered to see an old man sitting behind the desk deep in thought.

"Hello Sir. Eh... I was told you wanted to speak to me about my grades?" I looked to the side to see the lady give me a wave goodbye before disappearing. I could feel the weight lift from my shoulders as my only guess was that she went into the light.

"Ah, yes. Come have a seat. Leave your things over there." He pointed to an empty corner in the room for me to put my suitcases. Sitting on the chair in front of the desk I waited for the man to go though some of the paperwork trying to find something. "Here it is." I heard him mumble to himself. I watched as he scanned the sheet before letting his attention turn back to me. I sat there waiting for the worse. For him to tell me that I haven't got the grades. In fact I was left surprised at what he said.

"It seems you get to excel a couple of years. The first and second year courses you have already covered and passed when you were in Japan. Since the systems different here, I can offer you a scholarship for the third year, but you have to keep your grades above a B in order to stay there. If your levels drop I'll have to put you with the second years." I let the information sink in to my brain and my only smart reply to all of this was of course.

"Huh," I felt stunned. My mouth had dropped and I think I did and very good impression of a goldfish. My eyes drifted to the window behind the man and then I frowned. It slowly started to fog up. I kept my eyes on it as the marks of a compass was drawn along with the letters for North, South, East and West. I was so absorbed in it trying to think what it meant that I only snapped out when I heard a clicking of fingers. The man who was sitting behind the desk was now in front of me.

"Are you alright? See a ghost?" I could feel my cheeks going red, now realizing that I had ignored the older man. Blinking I looked back to the window to see the mark had disappeared. "So was it a spirit?"

"How did you..." I trailed off which earned a chuckle from the other.

"Sumire Ryuzaki informed me of your gift after my wife passed away. Telling me that you were the best chance I get to speak to her one last time." I gave him a sad look.

"I'm sorry, but she's already gone into the light after she told me to tell your daughter where a photo album was." I felt guilty now. I know it wasn't my fault, but I could have asked her to talk to her husband at least. "She spoke very fondly of you. About the school and university as well." I watched as a smile spread across his lips.

"Thank you." He said. "I'm not to surprised she didn't want to talk. She always hated goodbyes. I miss her. She was the one that kept the students in line. Walking the corridors, making sure they were all in lessons on time. She's been gone for about four months now. She had cancer of the lungs."

"I'm sorry for your loss." I never understood it myself. I was someone who loved to keep most people at arm's length. I'm afraid to get hurt by them, but when it come to helping the dearly departed pass on a message or help someone with their grief, I find I'm always the first to lend a helping hand, whether it is actually willingly or not. I can deal with the dead, it's just the living I have a problem with. Always feeling alone, since no one else can see what I see everyday.

I spent quiet a while in the office. Talking to him about my gift and going over my classes. By the time we were done all lessons had ended and students were now either going to the dorms or to the town nearby. I found myself walking the corridors. After the principal pointed me in the right direction I was heading to the room I'll be sleeping in for the next year. He told me that there were six students to a bedroom and since this was a school where you either paid to get in or had good grades the rooms were pretty large in size.

The boys dorms had a whole building to the right of the school. It was about 5 minutes away, but it had a concrete path, which I was thankful for. I didn't fancy walking across muddy fields to get there.

My room was 3-A. The 3 standing for third year and the A is how high you score in the year. The better the grade the better the room. My only problem was my room was on the top floor. All years in a dorm with A had the most space. The next floor down was B's and C's. After that the other floors just have the year number and the spaces aren't as big. So if you had no letter on the end of the number you will have a room with three bunk beds, with the bathrooms being down the hallway somewhere and a lounge which is shared by all the students on the same floor. They had a small desk in each room along with built-in cupboards along one of the walls.

B's and C's still had the bunk beds, but they get their own bathroom. They like the non-letters had a built-in cupboard on one of the walls, but they had a couple of arm chairs and bookcase in another corner. They still had a shared lounge room like them though.

A's had of course the entire top floor. So seven rooms each with six students in. They all had a single beds and a side table each. A few study desks, along with a walk in closet that had different area's for each person. They had their own bathroom. Which consist of both a separate bath and shower. The bath... more like mini-jacuzzi tub built into the floor could at least fit two people in with space to still move around. A couple of book cases around the room along with two love-seats and a 30 inch TV. They also had a fridge in a small mini-like kitchen, which was just really a couple of counters, a sink and some cupboards on top. The fridge was one thing I was most pleased about. I could keep my ponta chilled.

When I had heard the headmaster explain the layout of the room to me I felt surprise. I mean why would he make them so different depending on what score they had been given. I was eventually given my answer. It seems that if there was competition, it would make students strive to do the best they can in lessons so they could get the better rooms, which in the end would look good for the school. That or you could pay to have the best rooms, which according to him wasn't a cheap thing to buy.

You know what though, I couldn't care at this point if I had a letter on the end of the dorm room I was staying in or not. It just had to be my luck to get the day the lift was broken, while trying to get two suitcases up flights of stairs and having jet lag. I would happily take a ground floor any day. Especially if it meant I could go to sleep quicker.

As I approached the room I was going to stay in I started to wonder what sort of people I would be staying with. Whether they were nice, if they were going to hate me. Would they annoy me and so on. I could feel the nerves in my fingers twitch, along with my stomach doing forward rolls. Putting my luggage against the wall I dug out the key from my pocket.

Hearing the click as I turned the key, which was now in the lock. I grabbed the handle and pushed the door open. I froze. There in front of me, on the floor. Two men. One naked with his legs spread, while the others head was between them. I watched as both of them had the same look as me. The one of horror. The naked one had blue hair, while the other had black. That was all I could recall as the world around me went black. I'll remind myself later that if I ever get shocked like that again, I need to remember to breathe.

II

Seiichi Yukimura could feel his heart stop when he saw the boy at the door staring at him and the one between his legs. As he watched the boy's eyes close and the next second he saw the boy now laying limp on the floor. The blunette looked to the ceiling.

"Gen, who is that?" Supporting himself with his elbows, the one between his legs shrugged. "We should help him." Yukimura stood, ignoring the need between his legs and walked over to the fainted boy. As he was about to pick him up, he was stopped.

"Sei, you should get change. I'll sort him out." Looking down, Sei blushed now remembering that he was naked in front of a stranger, even if that person wasn't conscious. "It's probably lucky that he just caught us two. Imagine how it would be if all five of us were here." Smiling, Sei shook his head at the thought. With that he left the room to go have a shower.

Gen picked the boy up placing him on a bed in the room. He sighed as he looked down at the innocent face. "Honestly. Why walk in then of all times?" He whispered. Now he just had to wait for his other lovers to get back and for Sei to be decent and not in his birthday suit.

II

Slowly I came round. My head hurt. I guess that's what I get when I forget to breathe. I could hear voices in the background arguing about something. I couldn't really care. I groaned causing the ones making the noise to go silent.

"See Sei. You didn't kill him from shock." I could hear the voice coming from above me, which was slightly disturbing. The voice itself was sort of feminine. It sounded soft and light-hearted, but it was that much deeper from a normal womans voice. I could only conclude that above me was a man. "I think you might of broken him. His eyes won't open." I paused for a second realizing I could have just opened them by now and not done the whole guessing game on whether it was a man or woman above me. I mentally rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. As I was about to open them I heard a snort followed by a deeper and more high-class kind of voice.

"Your one to talk. Your eyes are nearly always closed." A chuckle was heard as the bed moved. The person who was above me had shifted.

"Kitten, it's time to get up." I shivered as I felt the voice right beside me. His breath tickling my ear as he waited for me to respond. I scowled as I slowly opened my eyes and like that, I met sapphire blue ones.

"Beautiful." I muttered, not even realizing that I had actually said it out loud. I watched as he sat up and looked down at me, smiling softly.

"Thank you, I'm guessing you were talking about my eyes. But sadly I have a boyfriend already. Well... I have four." I tried not to gape at my mistake. I practically just flirted with someone I don't even know. I didn't mean to speak my mind. It's like one of those first appearance looks. You see them and decided what their personality is like. Normally beautiful people are rude and narcissists, but that was just my opinion from the ones I've met in my past. I shouldn't really judge a book by its cover, but sometimes I just can't help it.

Taking one more look at the one I had accidentally call beautiful, I looked to the other four in the room. The two from earlier were there. The naked one now fully dressed much to my relief. There was also one with glasses and brown hair. He seemed like a strict person. You know one of those ones that are actually good at everything, but don't like to gloat about it. I could get on with him. He's probably the silent type, who don't speak unless spoken to.

I moved my eyes to the last one. Now this one did scream severely narcissistic and arrogant. It was all in his posture. Spine straight, shoulders back, head lifted in a high proud manner. Yeah, this one was definitely a pampered one. Living off of parents and being raised on good side of wealth. These were the ones I normally try to avoid. He has purple-black hair and his eyes are extremely dark blue, there so dark I had almost mistaken them for onyx. He also has a tear-mole under his right eye.

Taking in the five appearances again, I came to the conclusion that these were my new roommates. Meaning sadly that I couldn't avoid them, even if I wanted to. Sighing I thought what the brown hair, blue-eyed guy had said to me before. 'Kitten...' I was called a kitten. Gritting my teeth, I glared at him.

"I'm not some feline." I expected him to back off, but it seems he wasn't exactly normal himself. Instead he smiled. A creepy one as if he was telling me that he would carry on calling me what he liked, even if I hated it. Thinking about it now did he say he was in a relationship with four other guys...?

Sitting up I looked to all of them in wonder. Five err... Lovers. Sharing this one room and I'm stuck here with them. I shifted uncomfortable as I heard an amused 'Humph' coming from the one with the small mole.

"So I guess you finally figured it out. This room is ours and we." He gestured to the five of them. "Are. All. Together. Do you get that. You're not wanted here." I smirked as I answered him.

"I guessed that. I'm not stupid unlike you..." I looked him up and down deciding my words carefully. "Monkey King." I could see the corner of his brow twitch in annoyance. That was what I was hoping for. Something that would get under his skin. A nickname that fitted him perfectly. "If I could, I would have changed where I was staying as soon as I found out I had to walk upstairs in order to get here, but the principal said that I had to go here and had no say in the matter. By all means go complain, like I could care. It would most likely benefit me more."

"How old are you?" The blue haired one suddenly spoke up.

"I'm 13. By the way who the hell are you? Because all I know since I've woken up is that you're the naked one." I pointed to the blunette. Next I turned my attention to the black-haired one. "You're the one that was between the naked ones legs. You're the one that had a go at me for no reason what-so-ever. You're just creepy." I pointed to the arrogant person, then to the blue-eyed smiley man. Last I pointed to the one which was now only paying half interest since he was sitting on the bed next to the one I was on and reading a book. "And you're just normal." The was a pause, no one spoke and just looked at me. Maybe I shouldn't have categorized them like that.

Hearing a shutting of a book, I looked to the one with glasses. He placed the book on the pillow of the bed he was on and stood up. Walking over he was now standing in front of me. Considering that I was still sitting I felt quite small compared to him. I watched as he stretched a hand out and finally spoke.

"I'm Kunimitsu Tezuka." I could feel myself relax when he said that. Taking the offered hand I shook it.

"Ryoma Echizen." I said my name back. At least someone had manners. Realising his hand, I could see the others were surprised. It was then Tezuka spoke again.

"This is Syusuke Fuji." He pointed to the one smiling with his eyes closed. "Genichiro Sanada, Seiichi Yukimura." He nodded over to the black-haired one and the blunette. "And this is Keigo Atobe." He lastly pointed to the snob.

'Atobe...' I knew that family name. Frowning in thought, I looked to his face. Now that I think about it they do have a very small similarity. "Is your grandmother Rika Atobe." I watched as his face went from smug to disbelief.

"How do you even know her, Brat?" Well, not surprised that his given me a nickname in return. Without even realizing it my eyes had softened.

"I went to her husbands funeral. I had a message I needed to give to her from him." I didn't tell them that he was at his own funeral. It would have been weird trying to explain it, so I'll just only tell half-truths and hope they'll think I'm telling them everything. I remembered word for word what he said to me. He was after all the first ghost I had crossed over. "Before he left he told me that him and his wife had been together for 26 years and to tell her goodbye since he couldn't be the one to say it. He doesn't have time to tell her how much he loved her and told me to give her that message." I watched as the Monkey King tried to hold in his pain. I could tell from the look in his eyes that his grandparents were important to him.

"I asked him how she would know that it was him that was saying it." I smiled sadly as I spoke the next part. "He told me to tell her to have a glass of champagne every friday night. He wanted her to light the fire like they always did and to make their secret toast to the moon and stars, like they always did. And to tell her to never feel alone and then she'll know." I hadn't realize though my talking both Yukimura and Fuji were staring at me with small smiles playing on their lips. Atobe had grabbed Sanada's hand and Tezuka had his full attention on me. This is the part where I feel uncomfortable and could say something stupid if no one speaks after what I just said.

"Ore-Sama's hungry. Come on Brat. I'll show you where the cafeteria is." I felt both my eyebrows raise in surprise from the others change in tone. He was now calm and more accepting, I think of me being here. As I followed him out the room I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning I was met with the blunette.

"We've put all your things away for you." He said happily. I frowned when I realized that they must have already known I was meant to be in here. "While you were sleeping, Kei sorted out why you were in our room and the principal explained. The other bit was just a small interrogation so we could understand what sort of person you were." I looked to him in distaste. They could have just asked if they wanted to know something. I might not of told them everything, but I wouldn't lie. "We didn't know where to put this." He handed me a really old compass. "Is it something important?"

"No, I don't even know how it got in there." Opening it up, I looked at the face of it. Running my hand over it, it took me a second to think what it could mean. "But... I've seen something like this before." I muttered. Closing it, I put the compass in my jacket pocket. I guess I'll just have to figure it out later. I'm not very good at thinking on an empty stomach.

As we left the dorms we headed back over to the main school building entering a side door which was a quicker way to get to the cafeteria. The closer we got, the smell of food got stronger. I could smell burgers. I couldn't care if my stomach was rumbling out loud. The place was busy, but wasn't crowded. Knowing that other students will either come here later for dinner or have already had it and left. I stayed close to Tezuka since I wasn't exactly sure where the line started.

I felt eyes on me and when I looked around I saw Sumire and the principal talking while staring at me. Walking forward, I kept my eyes on the two older people. What I didn't realize was that the brunette had stopped. Crashing into his back I looked up to him in surprise as he stared down at me.

"Sorry." I muttered and looked away in embarrassment. Hearing an 'uh' coming from him, I could only guess he was saying it was alright. I heard a loud laugh. Well, as soon as I saw who it was that was laughing I thought it sounded more like a cackle. My cheeks heated up. I hated the fact it was the old hag otherwise known as Sumire Ryuzaki who had seen what I just did. I watched in horror as she stood and made her way over with a smirk on her face. "Crap..." I whispered.

"Ryoma!" She shouted and grinned when she came close enough, my arms came up in a defensive stance as I took a step back in fear. She was going to do something which I knew I wouldn't like. "Come here." She grabbed me in a headlock as she ruffled my hair. I can't believe she still treats me like a kid.

The last time I saw this old lady was about three years ago when she had come over to Japan to check up on me and dad. What's worse is that the whole room was now silent as people stared at the interaction between me and Sumire. The old hag was one of the people from America that I actually kept in contact with over the years by email. There are others and most likely they'll appear later sometime when they find out that I'm here.

As she realised me from the grip, she gave me one of her grandmother smiles as I scowled and tried to flatten my hair. "How's your father doing?" I looked around the room to see others whispering and looking my way.

"He's fine." Laughing again the lady pushed me forward towards the line.

"Still hate having attention on you? Go get something to eat and join me and Tanaka at the table." She pointed over to the old man who waved at me. I nodded knowing if I didn't she would drag me over with force an old lady her age shouldn't have. Grumbling under my breath something along the lines of old people and their super strength, I wondered back over and stood behind Tezuka in the line.

"How do you know Ryuzaki-Sensei?" Jumping in shock, I looked to my left to see Fuji just standing there smiling.

"She's a friend of my fathers. I've known her my whole life." I sighed as I let my heart slow down. "Anyway what is it with you and personal space?" I asked him. First it was me waking up to him and now his face is still too close to mine.

"You're just interesting. You didn't freak out to find the five guys your meant to be sharing a room with were all together. Most would demanded to have a room change." I moved forward as what I assumed was the line when the space in front of me got wider. I didn't exactly want someone to push in front of me.

"Like I said earlier, I would have as soon as I heard how many stairs I had to climb up considering some idiot broke the lift." I glared at him.

Once I got my dinner which was a beef burger and fries I slowly made my way over to the old man and lady. Sitting down opposite of them, I was about to ask the old hag what she wanted when I head scraping of chairs and watched in surprise as three of my roommates sat in the extra spaces around the table.

"So what needs to be discussed?" The arrogant prick... Err... I mean Atobe Keigo said in a voice that clear stated he didn't want to be here. Well, at least I wasn't the only one.

"Well, considering we have a new student I thought it would be nice for us to all eat together." I looked to the old man knowing there was probably more to this. "Besides Ryoma's is a very talented person, in fact Ayana Tezuka has offered him a part-time job at her Antique shop." The next thing I heard someone choke on my left and saw Tezuka covering his mouth to stop any food from going on us.

"Wow brat. You've already met one of our mothers." I frowned as I looked to the Monkey King, watching as he rolled his eyes, he looked at me. "Te-Zu-Ka." He spelt out as if I'm stupid. "Ayana Tezuka. He." He pointed to one of his lovers. "Tezuka." Finally getting the idea I scoffed.

"Twat." I said under my breath. I'm not stupid, I can sometimes be slow on the uptake. Especially when tired and hungry. Speaking of which. I looked down to my meal grabbing the burger and taking a bite.

"Ryoma, Andrea was the one who suggested you for the job so you should thank her when you have time." I heard Sumire. Swallowing, I looked at her in surprise. I haven't seen her for 2 years now.

Andrea was a woman who use to live a couple of doors down to me in Japan. She was the first one in a long time I had ever open up to about my gift. She was also the one that took me in when me and my dad had a falling out and that happened nearly three times a week. When she told me she was moving I actually cried. Okay I cry a lot for a guy. But this time I cried for me and my life not someone elses. She promised to keep in contact which only lasted for a year. So it's been about a year since I had last heard from her.

"Small world." I commented. "So is there any reason that I'm here or are you just trying to annoy me? And why these three? I kind of already know them."

"Well, this is the student council." I froze. The headmaster must be kidding. Right?

"Wait, so naked guy is part of the student council?" I asked with disbelief. Realizing what I had just said and seeing the shocked face of the blunette I coughed into my hand. "Umm... I mean." 'Crap.' Was all I could think. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for loving who you want, but student council members are meant to represent the school and finding one naked, on his back, legs spread, on the floor in the dorm room that you were meant to be staying in wasn't something you would expect. Putting my hands on my lap I tried to think of changing the subject. That was when I remembered the thing in my pocket. "Oh, old hag. You're old right?" I pulled out the compass passing it to her. "Do you know anything about this?"

Ignoring the stab at her age, she took the object from my hands and opened it up. "Well, it a compass." I scowled at her, knowing that she was winding me up and that I wanted her to be more specific. "It looks like it's one of those that they would use in the wars. What war? I don't know." She answered knowing it would've been my next question. "You just need to wait until they visit you again." She gave me an all-knowing look.

"I haven't met them. All I know is that it's something to do with this compass." The rest of the meal went on in silence and as soon as I had finished I left the without a word making sure the compass was safely in my pocket.